Drinking-fountain.



A. WHITTIER.

DRINKING FOUNTAIN.

'APPLICATION FILED 1111.30, 1911.

' 1 ,036,046. Patented Aug. 2o, 1912.

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DRINKING FOUNTAIN.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 30, 1911. 1 ,036,046.

Patented Aug. 2o, 1912.

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ARTUR wITTIER, oF EAST wALPoLE, MAssacmrsn'rrsr DRINKING-FOUNTAIN.

Specification of Letters Patent. A Application led January 30, 1911. Serial No. 605,587.

Patented Aug. 20,1912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR WHI'rrlEa, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Walpole, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Drinking-Fountains; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will en able others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. l

This invention relates to improvements m drinking fountains.

One`object of the invention is to improve the construction of the fountain shown in my pending application, Serial Number 589,943, filed October` `3, 1910, whereby the fountain will automatically close after being used and whereby the flow of the water through the fountain may be regulated according to the pressure orl force of the water.

Another object is to provide a fountain of this character adapted to be inverted and employed as a self-closing faucet.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of my improved fountain; Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the main valve of the fountain and the auxiliary regulating valve arranged therein; Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of t-he same on the line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a -side view of the key or wrench for adjusting the auxiliary valve; Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of a modified form of the fountain showing the same inverted and arranged for use as a faucet; Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view of the sanie'on the line -G of Fig. 5.

In the embodilnent of the invention I' provide a valve casing 1 having in its lower end a water inlet opening Q into which is adapted to be st ewed the outer end of a water supply pipe 3. The pipe 3 may .be connected directly to a service pipe or as here shown may be connected to a faucet. The outer end of the pipe 2l is provided with an exterior thread 4 and adjacent thereto an annular flange 'lhe edge of the 'pipe-bore at its outlet end is beveled as shown to forni a vulve seat 0. The valve casing l is adapt:

ed to be screwed onto the threads 4 of the pipe 3 and into engagement with the flange 5 and if desired a washer 7 may be arranged on `the flange ther'eby forming a fluid tightjoint\ between the valve' casing` and `the p1 \3. Il'ehe upper portion of the valve casingis.'

exteriorly threaded and on the upper end of' the casing is formed a reduced neck 8 which is provided on its inner surface throughout its entire length with coarse or rapid pitch screw threads 9 and on its upper end is exteriorly threaded as at 10. On the threaded outer surface of the valve casing is screwed the lower end of a bowl shaped catch basin 11 in one side of which is formed a drain opening 12 having a downwardly projecting discharge nipple 13 to the lower end of which is adapted to be connected a drain pipe (not shown). Arranged in the catch basin 11 is a perforated strainer plate 14 in the center of which is formed an aperture 15 through which the upper end of the neck 8 projects. The outer edges of the )late 14 closely engage the inner walls of t e catch.

basin 11 and said plate is securely fastened I in the basin by 'means of a nut 16 which is screwed into engagement' with- Ithe threads 10 on the upper end of the neck and into engagement with the upper side of the plate 14 thereby depressing or .forcing the inner portion of the late downwardly so that the latter is dishedpor concaved as shown. AThe strainer plate 14 serves the two-fold purpose of preventing any foreign matter which may be thrown -rnto the catch basin from entering and clogging the discharge opening 12 therein and also serves to prei vent the water from being dipped from the basin by a cup or other receptacle.

valve 17 having a tubular valve stem 18- open at its upper end and provided on its outer side with coarse or rapid screw threads 19v whereby said stem is screwed up und down in the coarse interior threads 9 of the neck 8 'of the casing. The "alve 17 is provided on its outer edge with a lower annular beveled surface 20 and an upper annular beveled surface 21. \Vhen the valve stem is screwed down in the neck S a sutil cient extent the lower beveled surface .20 of the valve will be brought into engagement with the seat (S formed on the upper end of the water supply pipe 3 thereby closing this end of the pipe :ind cutting olf thc supply of water to the fountain. l/Vhen the valve is screwed upwardly a sufficient extent in the neck 8 of the valve easing the upper beveled surface 21 of the valve Will be brought into engagement with an annular valve seat 23 formed on the lower inner end of the neck 8 as shown. lVhen the valve is thus brought into engagement with the seat 23 he water will also be cut otf from the fountain. By providing the valve stem 18 with the coarse screw threads 19 arranged as here shown and described the pressure of water on the lower side of the valve will automatically close it when the pressure on the upper end thereof is removed, by causing the. coarsely threaded stem to move upwardly in the neck 8 will be readily understood.

In the lower portion of the tubular valve stem 18 are formed upper and lower rows or series of radial perforations 24 through which the water passes from the valve casing 1 into the tubular stem of the valve when the latter open, and thence through the .stern to the discharge nozzle hereinafter described. ln order to regulate the flow of water through the valve stem, to correspond with the pressure or force of the water entering the fountain, l provide an auxiliary valve Q5 comprising an exteriorly threaded plug adapted to be screwed into the tubular stem 18, said stem being threaded interiorly to receive said plug. In the plug are formed longitudinally disposed passages 2G which extend through it. By thus arranging` the lvalve 25 it may be adjusted in the valve stem to cover and uncover one or more of the rows of perforations 24 in the stem 18 of the valve thus permitting a greater or less quantity of water to enter the valve stem and pass through the passages 25 thereby controlling or regulating the flow of the water to the fountain. ln order to facilitate the adjustment of the valve Q5, a wrench or other suitable instrument 27 is provided having on its lower end teeth or studs adapted to be engaged in the upper ends of the passages QG when said wrench is inserted in the upper open end of the valve stent whereby the valve may bc screwed downwardly or upwardly in the stem of the main alve li'. l

0n the upper end of the tubular valve stem 18 is screwed a discharge nozzle 28 on .which is formed a series of radially disposed and upwardly curved arms 28 the upper endj ot which are formed integral with a combined guard ring and hand wheel 2t. The nozzl(l 27 when screwed onto the upper cnil ot' the tubular `valve stem is securely locked thereto b v a set screw 3U. The guard ring .'t is provided to prevent the lips` from coming in contact with the upper end ofthe discharge nozzle or other metal parts of the fountain when drinking therefrom and also .serve`r as a meansl for screwing thc tubular valve stem 18 and valve 17 downwardly in the valve casing to open the valve and permit the water to bubble or discharge from the upper end of the nozzle to a sufficient height for drinking. In the supporting arms of the guard ring Q9 is arranged an annular shield or guard plate 31 which prevents the water from being caught in a receptacle when falling into the catch basin 11.

After the fountain has thus been opened and a drink obtained therefrom the guard ring or hand wheel 29 is released whereby the pressure of water in the valve casing 1 against the lower side of the valve 17 will cause said valve to automatically close in the manner described. In order to provide for fastening the valve in closed positidn for any reason, I preferably provide a locking nut 32 adapted to be screwed down on the valve stem 18 and into engagement with the upper endof the neck 8 thereby locking the valve stem and main valve 17 against movement. Engaged with the inner end of the water supply pipe 3 is a T coupling 33 in the upper end of which is formed an interiorly threaded socket- 34 in which arranged a washer and which is adapted to be screwed into engagement with a faucet.

`()n the lower end of the coupling member 33 is formed an exterioriy threaded flanged head 3G which is here shown as being closed by a cap 37 but which may have connected thereto a water conducting pipe (not shown.)

ln Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings, is shown a modified construction and arrangement ot' my improved fountain wherein the same is employed as a self-closing faucet. In using the fountain as a faucet the catch basin 11, strainer 14, nozzle 28 and guard ring QS) arc removed and the valve casing is inverted so that the tubular valve Istem projects downwardly as shown. In this form of the device the valve casing 38 and the neck 39 thereof are somewhatA shorter than the same parts shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing and the Water supply pipe 4t) is connected with the service pipe to support the casing in an inverted position as shown. The main valve 4] which corresponds to the valve 17 in Fig. 1 is. provided with a tubular valve stem 42 corresponding to the valve stem 18 except that the threads on the outer surface of the stem are not sufficiently coarse to cause the valve to close by the pressure of ywater thereon. In thisl form ot` the device the stem 42 is preferably provided with a stuffing box 43 which/is screwed upon thc lower end of the neck 39 of the valve casing to prevent any possible leakage between the valve stem and the valve casing.

Un the lower portion of the valve stem is' screwed an operating wheel Vlt comprising a hub having/a series of radially projecting downwardly and upwardly curved arms 45. The hand wheel 44 is screwed upwardly on the lower portion of the valve stem to the desired position and is locked in this position by binding screws 4G' arranged in the hub of the wheel as shown. By thus arranging the hand wheel it may be readily turned in the proper direction to screw the valve stem upwardly and disengage the valve from the lower valve seat 47 in the valve easing thus permitting the water to flow through the tubular stem ot' the valve. ln order to cause the valve to automatically close when the hand wheel t4 is released I provide a coiled spring to one end of which is ing from the lower end of the valve casing 3S and the other end to a lug projecting trom one of lthe arms 45 of the wheel 44 whereby when said wheel is turned in the proper direction to open the valve the spring will be wound up and when the wheel is released the pressure of the spring will turn the wheel and the valve stem in the opposite direction thus screwing the valve stein closing the valve. ln the valve 4l is arranged the auxiliary regulating valve 25, whereby the amount of water which may pass through the valve stem when the valve is open may be adjusted.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor `details of construction maj; be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any ot the advantages of tle invention as' defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim is:

l. ln a drinking fountain, a valve casing a main valve therein, a tubular valve stem formed on said valve and having a threaded engagementy with said casing, having formed therein series of perforations, and an mounted in said valve stem open and close the perforations whereby the flow ot water through said stem is regulated, said auxiliary valve having:

said stein l j es ,win-re it opens uno connected to a luf; projectauxiliary valve adjustablv l and adapted to therein Yformed therein a series otj water discharge L l within the stem and 2. ln a drinking' fountain. a valve casina', t

a main val\ e arranged in said tasingl'. a tubillar stem formed on said valvtl and having;

valve, and means to prevent the lips from being brought into engagement with the nozzle.

2%. 1n a drinking;` fountain, a valve casing, a neck formed on one end ot said easing, said neck being provided with coarse interior screw threads, a valve arranged in said casing, a tubular valve stem formed on said valve. said stem havingitormed therein a series of perforations and having" a threaded inner surface and a coarseljv threaded outer surface taigagriire` said i-oarselv threaded neck. an auxiliary valve comprising an extei iorly threaded apertured plugr adapted to be screwed into said tubular \al\e stem to opel, and close the periorations therein wherebv the flow of water through said stem is; regulated. means to lock said stem against movement and thereby hold said main valve 'n closed position, a discharge nozzhl arranged on the stem ot the valve and means to prevent the lips from being brought into engagement `with the nozzle.

.4. fountain ot the character described comprising' a valve. a hollow stem formed thereon. the shell of which provided with series of perforations and interiorly threaded. and a lonjsitudinalljv aperturcd plug exteriorly threaded to engage in the stem, whereby more or less of the perforations may be opened or closed at will.

5. The herein described valve comprising a casing havinpr a neck provided with a seat where it opens into the casing, the neck having' internal threads or" rapid pitch` a valve adapted to be closed against said seat by the pressure ot' water and having a tubular stein projecting into said neck and provided with threads adapted to engage those therein, the stein being pierced with perforations adjacent said valve and internally threaded` and plug havin;T external threads to engage those within the stein and its body pierced with longitudinal passages.

t'. The herein described valve comprising a, caf-:intr having a neck provided with a seat.

the casing, a valve attuatt. he closed against said seat by the nre ot' water and having a tubular stem projecting into said neck, they stern being pieni with pcrtorations adjacent, said valve and internadv threaded, and a plug havingr external threads to engage those its body pierced with lol'igjjitldinal passages.

ln to tnnonj` whereof l have hereunto set ni); tard lo presence oiE two subscribing witnIsv-es.

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